Contact number: (+0632) 9217413

Email address: lestadeos@yahoo.com

Short description of business: Exotic restaurant

Short description of products and services: We offer Exotic dishes and other fusion dishes,everything is freshly cooked by our own chef.

HINGYON, IFUGAO – This tiny town has added a unique twist to the common blend of coffee by adding another ingredient – native tinawon rice.

Ifugao Midland Coffee combines the richness of Robusta and Arabica beans with the aromatic and distinct flavor of the tinawon rice.

Locals here who produce the product are all members of a cooperative of entrepreneurs sponsored by the local government.

It takes them about an entire day to roast and another day to grind the beans and the rice, depending on how much they intend to produce.

Besides their own harvest, some of the ingredients they use are also gathered from neighboring towns of Kiangan, Asipulok and Bontoc.

The town of Hingyon is known across the region as one of the major producers of tinawon rice, cultivated in rice terraces.

Local mythology has it that this heirloom rice variety came from the Ifugao gods. Thus, the people would conduct and offer rituals throughout the entire planting cycle to ensure a bountiful harvest.

The term tinawon translates to “yearly” as the rice is harvested only once a year.

Meanwhile, the bulk of the country’s supply of Robusta beans is found in the areas of Kalinga and Ifugao, while Arabica is grown in the mountainous terrains of Benguet.

(For interested buyers, you may get in touch with Gerry Nanglegan of Hingyon Enterprises via email at baddang_di_immipuggo@yahoo.com)

Related Stories:
Learn more about ‘kapeng barako’ at Coffee Academy in Pampanga

Coffee ‘clones’ promise high yield for Mindanao farmers

A taste of Davao in a coffee cup at Chicco Di Caffe

TAGUIG CITY, METRO MANILA – Anyone would agree that there’s just something irresistible about chocolates that make it so irresistible.

For friends and business partners Allan Bautista and Ramil Mendoza, this addictive treat can be made extra special with a bit more personal touch.

Unit 16 Sweets offers homemade chocolates with uniquely designed wrappers that are sure to give that peculiar twist as compared to most items sold in the market.

It’s a family and part-time business that fuses both partners’ expertise in designing, business management and even chocolate-making.

“We started out selling pralines but we realized they weren’t that marketable because their shelf-life didn’t last long. Eventually, we resorted to making chocolate bars,” Ramil shares.

However, the challenge was to make their products stand out. And what better way to do this than with placing their treats in quirky wrappers.

There is a wide away of themes and designs to choose from, such as tFilipino pride, environmental advocacies and “text” balloons. The cocoa they use are also locally produced and their packaging is also made from recycled magazine sheets.

Unit 16 Sweets also makes specialty chocolates infused with other ingredients like sea salt, cappuccino, ginger and even chili.

If you have your own design in mind, they can also do customized wrappers which make an ideal and truly unique souvenir for events or parties.

Get more information on Unit 16 Sweets

Related Stories:

Balikbayan’ entrepreneur puts Pinoy twist to chocolate
Try the chocolate pizza at Heavenly Chocolates in QC
Entrepreneur creates ‘polvoron’ with a twist

Email address: arrozpalma@yahoo.com

Contact number: (+0632) 9322450, (0918) 7090107

Short description of business: Arroz Palma Foods mass produces Cebu’s PUSO (hanging rice) to fill up the need of those who wish to replicate in Manila Cebu’s most distinctive popular street food pair, PUSO + lechon, PUSO + BBQ (chix, baboy) PUSO + lechon liempo, PUSO + nghoyong, PUSO + sinugba ( grilled fish, chorizo, liver, gizzard, etc).

Short description of products and services: PUSO is rice wrapped in coconut frond woven in shells formed like a diamond. It is usually hung in food stalls to allow water to drip completely from its shell. That is why it is fondly translated, hanging rice. PUSO is eaten warm or cold not hot. PUSO is Cebu’s most distinctive and popular street food that pairs well with lechon baboy, manok and liempo, pork and chix BBQ, grilled fish and the skewered delights of chorizo, liver, gizzard, isaw atbp. PUSO is suitably perfect for outings, family gatherings, corporate events, community acitivities, barkada gimmicks, rallies, conventions, street kids-feedings, themed celebrations like pista sa nayon, a convenient provision in evacuation centers (no need to cook rice), school or office baons or for anyone saving time cooking. Especially in big gatherings, PUSO is very convenient, handy to bring along, simple to count, easy to distribute . . . soft on the budget. It is the rice-to-go for any occasion, big and small.

QUEZON CITY, METRO MANILA -  Combining fish and cheese seemed a bit quirky first time I heard of it, but the Parmesan Crusted White Fish at Cookbook Kitchen can fill meat-resisting appetites this Holy Week.

It’s that time of the year again when Filipinos try to abstain from consuming meat. And if you are on the look out for some new and delectable dishes, head for Cookbook Kitchen at Eastwood City in Libis.

But I figured it must really be good considering all the must-try raves it got from food enthusiasts like Anton Diaz of Our Awesome Planet who found its “superior taste” worth breaking one’s diet.

And I have to agree there’s no mistaking on this particular dish. It was baked well and made even more succulent with the its oil-based sauce. Contrary to my initial notion, topping it off with loads of Parmesan cheese and herbs actually gave that savory taste to a supposed bland fish like Cream Dory.

Their Garlic Shrimps sauteed with chili is also a must-try especially for those who prefer having the appetizer also as a main course.

You could even mix them up a la seafood pasta with Cookbook’s Pomodoro dish and sprinkle a little pepper and cheese to complement with the stewed chunky potatoes.

The dishes at Cookbook are all good for sharing, which makes their prices relatively affordable for groups of three to four. The Parmesan Crusted White Fish is sold for P230 per serving; the Garlic Shrimps at P150; and the Pomodoro at P220.

But I guess what sets Cookbook apart is that intrinsic vibe there is to their food. The plating is all plain and simple, but each dish has its own unique flavor you would definitely look for in a laid-back meal with friends or colleagues.

Get more information on the Cookbook Kitchen

Related Stories:

QC restaurant offers Filipino fine dining with a twist

Satisfy your seafood cravings at this Laguna floating restaurant

Dine like an ‘ilustrado’ and relive the Spanish era in this Intramuros restaurant

Contact No.: (02) 709-3593

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/pages/Cookbook-Kitchen

Short description of business: Food Establishment

Short description of products and services: Restaurant

Contact No.: (917) 569-5854; (02) 895-9180

Website: www.unit16sweets.com

E-mail Address: ask@unit16sweets.com

Short description of business: Food

Short description of products and services: Unit 16 Sweets offers confectionaries with uniquely-designed and customized wrappers.

DAVAO CITY, ZAMBOANGA DEL NORTE – Native chicken is a rare thing to see among fast food joints in the Philippines, most especially in Metro Manila.

Unlike broiled chicken that are grown en masse, native chicken are free roaming and are fed with organic food such as corn and seeds. Because of this, they grow at a natural rate of about 14 weeks before being slaughtered unlike farm-bred chickens that are ready to be prepared for consumption after 6 weeks.

Nevertheless, native chickens are leaner than farm-bred chickens but this also makes them a little tastier because of the natural food that they’re fed with. This also makes them a little pricier particularly because of the time used to grow them.

There are a few restaurants that offer native chicken as part of their menu. In Davao City, one popular restaurant is Toryano’s Chicken Haus, which sells primarily native chicken dishes. The business, started by Engineer Victoriano Yee, Jr. is barely four years old but has already gained such a reputation not just among residents of Davao City but from other provinces as well.

Today, Toryano’s Chicken Haus has six branches all across Davao City and Tagum City. Not bad for a restaurant that only wanted to be a small-time mom-and-pop type business. It is also opening up for franchising.

According to Mark Evidientes, a supervisor at Toryano’s main branch in Legaspi Street in Davao City, the owner wanted to highlight consumption of naturally-grown food. Even the manner by which the food is prepared and cooked are all done by hand, making it less mechanical than food prepared by other fast food joints.

In fact, one of the highlights of the restaurant is the wall decoration that is made of used barbecue sticks, neatly lined up to become part of the wall and ceiling. The sticks have been cleaned and cured to avoid decomposition.

Naturally, it’s the food that makes Toryano’s so popular. The native chickens are roasted over charcoal and are basted with a mix of crushed onions and sugar. This mix complements the plain taste of the native chicken.

According to Evidientes, they consume about 100 heads of chicken per day. “Fridays and Saturdays are the busiest days for us.”

Other favorites in Toryano’s menu are the tinolang malasugue (swordfish or marlin), native pancit, hilabos na hipon, sinug-law (short for sinugba at kinilaw).

Perhaps one of the best parts about Toryano’s is its price; budget meals are priced at only P49. A whole native chicken only costs P200. Even the drinks are priced at less than P50.

If you’re in Davao City or Tagum City and feeling a little peckish, do pass by any of Toryano’s branches and savor their native chicken meals.

Get more information about Toryano’s Chicken Haus.

RELATED STORIES:

Filpino fine dining with a twist of history at Romulo Café

Makati joint offers ‘bagnet’ in many ways

Satisfy your cravings for ‘halo-halo’ and ‘palabok’ at Teresita’s

Bite into these ‘hand painted’ crispy chicken wings at 4 Fingers

Enjoy chicken ‘inasal’ amid an 80s ambiance in this Paranaque restaurant

Binondo restaurant is famous among foodies for its fried chicken

Chicken ‘inato’ is a specialty in this Butuan restaurant

TAGUIG CITY, METRO MANILA—If you’re looking for new ways to enjoy potatoes, then Mad About Spuds is the place to be.

The starch-rich potato is one comfort food no one can resist, be it fried, mashed or even a combination of both. But if you’re looking to try something new, then there’s one booth at the Mercato Centrale here you definitely must not miss.

Mad About Spuds hits the weekend food market crowd by storm for their mouthwatering cheesy potato dish. It’s a bowl of boiled marble potatoes drizzled with melted cheese and topped with bacon and thyme bits.

The first thing I noticed was how well the potatoes were cooked, considering that it can be quite a challenge making sure they don’t go over or undercooked.

The cheese also blended well with the herbs and the bacon bits gave it a good twist, especially for those who aren’t fans of all-veggies ala carte dishes.

Food bloggers like Tales from the Tummy, Bacon Tuna Melt and CarniVALife have all given Mad About Spuds’ cheesy potatoes a two thumbs up.

The Pickiest Eater and The City Life Stylist also recommended their other servings like the Pork Baby Ribs and Herbed Chicken Breast Fillet. Pricing is also affordable ranging from P50 to P100 for their rice meals.

Get more information on Mad About Spuds.

Related Stories:

Craving for delicious yet affordable paella? Try Casa Goñi

Want it crispy, sweet and spicy? Try Manang’s Chicken

For ice cream lovers, go fresh and local with unique Merry Moo flavors

Contact Number: (917) 942-8916; (933) 135-2866; (02) 597-5153

E-mail Address: madaboutspuds@yahoo.com

Short description of business: Food

Short description of products and services: Mad About Spuds is well-known for its “original” cheesy potato dish. They also accept bulk orders and catering services.